Parten’s categories of social play

Unoccupied – when a child is not playing but stands around or fleetingly watches anything that is of interest. 

Onlooker play – when a child watches other children play without participating. Children at all ages engage in this type of play. 

Solitary play – when a child plays alone, focused on him/herself, whether others are present or not. As with onlooker play, children engage in solitary play at any age. 

Parallel play – when two or more children play near each other, engaged in their own activities, without interacting. This type of play is particularly common among toddlers and young preschoolers. 

Associative play – when children play with similar materials, in close proximity. They might talk/share ideas or materials but they are not working together or playing in a coordinated way. Young preschoolers (ages three and four) tend to play in this way. 

Cooperative play – when two or more individuals or groups work together with a plan or desired outcome. This usually requires children to take on roles or tasks and to negotiate in order to sustain the play. By about age four, children can usually manage cooperative play.